17 weeks and 2 days

17 weeks and 2 days
1st Baby Bump photo

I saw Dr. Villers today.  Our August Arrival had a 145 bpm heart rate, and everything sounded good.  It was a rather quick appointment to check the heart rate.  I also had to have blood taken to test for certain birth defects as well.  The next Dr. Villers appointment is in 4 weeks; however, the next ultrasound is on 4.12.12.

I busted out the maternity clothes on March 10th, so it fills good to let the baby belly hang out.  I'm starting to get more of a baby bump.  I do agree that you starting showing a lot sooner with the second baby.  After reviewing my "baby bump" photos from my first pregnancy, I looked about this far along at 22 weeks the first time.  

It is still hit or miss as to those who notice from those who have no idea.  The ones who notice, are very forward about it and the ones who don't are shocked and say "wow, you hide it so well."

What the web says about week 17

How big is your baby?
The crown to rump length is now up to 13cm (5.12 inches) and the weight is now around 140g (4.94 ounces), which is double what it was 2 weeks ago.
How big are you?
Your uterus is now about 2 inches below your bellybutton. You are now showing quite a bit and there is an obvious swelling in your lower abdomen. By this time maternity clothing is a must for comfort sake, as you would have probably gained about 5-10 pounds (2.3-4.6 kg) by now. (I've gained 10 lbs by today...ugh!)

How is your baby developing and growing?
There is a definite change in the appearance of your baby and he/she is beginning to look more human like. This week will show lots of growth and development, especially as your babys weight will increase six time over the course of the next four weeks.Fat deposits, also known as adipose tissue, will begin to be evident over the next few weeks. Fat is important for the body as it aids in heat production and metabolism.
By this stage of your pregnancy you should have felt your baby move, if you haven't yet then you should feel him move within the next few weeks. There are certain factors which may make it difficult to feel your baby move, such as position of the placenta - but at some stage over the next few weeks you should feel baby move.

See someone familiar?

Particularly 35 seconds into the clip!

This could be my big break to Hollywood!  Well, likely not, but it was fun to be a part of a fun thing!  The commercial will air at least until June within the Lowcountry's 9 county area.  All of the people in this commercial are real patients at MUSC (of course, I had Tillman at MUSC and Our August Arrival will be delivered there as well). I thought the commercial turned out really great, and the best part is there are no actors, all are real patients!

"MUSC Changed My Mind!"

Our August Arrival

Our August Arrival is due on 8.28.12.  

Our wish was for our children to be close together, and our hope is that it will make them closer and playmates.  I actually took a pregnancy test on 12.28.11.  I had a feeling that I was expecting over Christmas, but the test confirmed it once we returned to town from Kentucky!  

  

I emailed Dr. Villers the next day to let her know of the news, and of course, to set up my first OB appointment.  I saw Dr. Villers on 1.20.12, and got my first glimpse of Our August Arrival.  Heart beat was strong, and she calculated the due date to be 8.28.12.  August was a little sooner than I thought, but grateful none the less!

We waited to tell family and friends until after our first trimester screening, which we had on 2.25.12.  The way we told our family was we got Tillman a "Big Brother" shirt (I actually, called my dad, JRS, right after the appointment to tell the news).  We did Facetime with Cici, had PapPaw come over for dinner to see Tillman, and we Skyped with Nick's mom (Mimi) and grandmother.  Tillman is on the move these days, so it took a while for them to read his shirt, but when they did, they were very excited to hear that the family would have another baby to love!  For the aunts and uncles, we called our sisters and brother to tell them the news by phone.

Our first trimester screening went really well.  The report stated the occurrence of Downs Syndrome and/or Trisomy 18 and 13 less than 1 in 10,000.  The genetic counselor explained that this is the lowest risk that the blood test reports, and this was wonderful news/ "we are off to a great start."  Our August Arrival was measuring 5 days ahead of the due date, it was noted that the placenta was in the front, cord blood was flowing appropriately, and all organs were functioning.

I finally told work and the world of Facebook on 3.9.12.  I wasn't ready to tell work because I had a few loose ends that I didn't want "oh Meredith's pregnant" to effect.  Of course, they say it doesn't effect anything (legal answer), but I often wonder if it does or not.  I knew that 3.9.12 was the time to say something because folks were starting to notice.  After all, I work at a Children's Hospital.  These folks can point out a pregger a mile away.  I had already had someone point to my tummy, and say "oh, already...another one!"  I was at a reception on 3.6.12, and I could just "feel" people talking about me.  It is a very exciting thing to be pregnant, but not so exciting to have the whispers.
When "the cat was out the bag," folks were saying "I knew it," "I thought so,"I guessed it a few weeks back".....

Our next ultrasound is on 4.10.12(after review of my calendar, it appear the appointment is 4.12.12).  This will be the anatomy scan/ 20 week ultrasound, and we will know for sure what Our August Arrival will be.  At our 2.25.12 ultrasound, the sonographer said that she was 90% sure of the sex, but for the sake of publishing this to the world and being the other 10%, I'll hold off on the gender until we know for sure.  After all, Our August Arrival could become the President one day, and the opposing candidate may read what I wrote and cause a political uproar the day before the election!  Ok, maybe too much TV (or campaign 2012 coverage) for Mrs. Pregnant in the Lowcoutry!

We're very excited to become a family of four.  We've already placed Our August Arrival on the daycare waiting list, figured out maternity leave plans, rearranged and purchased new car seats to accommodate, and purchased a double stroller.  More plans to come, but I think we are going to gear up all other planning after our 4.1012 appointment (which my mom noted was her due date when she had me in 1981)!

18 month Check Up

Tillman (bad boy) sticking out his tongue!
Playing at Battery Park

Tillman went for his 18 month check up on Friday to see Dr. Clifford.  All and all, Tillman got a great report, Dr. Clifford said he was glad to see that his height and weight were proportioned well (higher percentile in height than weight).  In his 5 minute observation of Tillman, he thought that his motor and language skills were right on target.  We did discuss his EARS!  Poor Tillman can't catch a break with his ears or get his vaccinations on time due to the ears.  We talked about language development with his ear constantly being infected, discussed if he doesn't get better after a round of steroids that we'd need to see Dr. White, ENT, again to check about taking out adenoids.

Waiting on his exam

Dr. Clifford feels that Tillman's inner-ear is inflamed.  If this is the case, then none of the ear drops are getting down to the source of the infection since there isn't a passage way (hints the smelly ear and no ear drainage).  He felt like steroids would reduce the inflammation and allow the drops to get to the source and allow the drainage release. Tillman goes back to Dr. Clifford in two weeks for a check up and hopefully his vaccination.  If it isn't better then, then off to the ENT we go.

Eating Gold Fish to pass the time

Currently Tillman is on an antibiotic (twice a day), a steroid, ear drops, nose spray and Zyrtec!  I feel like he needs one of those weekly pill boxes that has the days of the week on it.  Oy Vey!

Climbing...of course

Although Tillman has ear troubles, it doesn't slow him down one bit!  Yes, the "roids" make him a bit ornery, but he is as rambunctious as ever.  In fact, he has 4 bruises (one of the cheek and three on the legs) just from yesterday to prove he is not slowing down.  Tillman decided to climb on a chair and then on the chair arm.  He lost his balance, hit a plant stand with his face, and down on the carpet he went.  I think it scared him more than anything.  He wanted a hug from Nick and then me, and then he was on to the next "Evel Knievel" trick!

Snacking with Daddy

Tillman's Stats:

Weight: 22 lbs 6 ozs (9th percentile)

Height: 31 inches (15th percentile)

Head Circumference: 18 inches (6th percentile)

BMI: 16.4

More words from Tillman: book, dog, hot, no no, thank you, milk, more, momma, daddy, banana, truck, basket ball, ball, football, nose, push, and bye-bye. (For some of these, I know what he is saying, but still a little rusty. I'm sure I'm leaving something out.)

Attempting to get a Father Son photo...
at least one was looking at the camera!

18 months 3.12.12

Tillman in his 18 mo Puma jogging suit!

Our little boy turned 18 months/ a year and a half today!  As everyone says "boy, does the time fly," and yes, it DOES!  Mr. Independent is walking  running everywhere, climbing on everything and eating Cheerios!  His favorite past-time is standing in chairs (high chairs, kitchen chairs, couches, stools....you name it). It doesn't bother him that it is a "no no," because after all, all "no no's" are "uh oh's" to him!

Tillman at CiCi & JRS's house...
standing in the chair, of course

Tillman has added words to his vocabulary this month, but when he does a "no no," he always says "uh oh." A new word T has is "daw" (dog), he event makes a "woof woof" sound.  Funny thing is that all animals with 4 legs are dogs.  We where in the grocery store and he pointed to a picture of a pig and starting making his "woof woof" sound.  It was too complicated to try to explain at the time "that's a pig, Tillman...oink oink" because he was so sure of himself.

Tillman "spunk" wasn't damped by the RSV, ear infections, and fevers this month brought him.  He stayed a week out of school this month. At the doctor's he got a fun RSV swab (positive), throat culture (negative), breathing treatment (horrible for everyone around) and some ibuprofen. When we were leaving MUSC After Hours Care, the registration staff asked why Tillman was all red and "wet."  I told them he had been screaming and crying through a breathing treatment for the past 15 minutes.  His hair was soaked, his face was beet red, and he looked like he was ready for a nap.  Me? I was read for a drink and dinner...oh and some headache meds!

Tillman's treat after a breathing treatment at home

Nick and I really thought if we could just be religious with the breathing treatments at home over the next day, he would be good to go back to school. Well, RSV told us differently.  We ended up calling out the troops for HELP!  We traded off one day (I took morning and Nick took afternoon), the next day Tillman went to work with Nick and he and his dad watched Tillman, and then Cici came down and kept him Thursday and Friday.  By Friday, he still wasn't better, so we took him back to the doctor.  Seems like he got a sinus infection on top of the RSV, so we got an antibiotic. You'd think (if you have read this far) that he would be all better.  Well, we are going back to the doctor today. He finished up his meds yesterday, and is still a snot nose kid with a smelly ear.  According to Google, a smelly ear is a type of ear infection.  Tillman has had lots of ear infections, but I have to say that haven't stunk!  Well, now he has the smelly ear too!

Work day with Daddy and PapPaw

 He went back to school last Monday, and he was in a new class.  They sent us home with all of his sippy cups.  In this class, they drink from a cup without a lid, eat with no assistance, sit at a table to eat (not strapped in) and take naps on a mat (on the floor). This is a huge transition, and based on the number of clothes he has messed up at daycare, I'm glad they are helping him through the transition because drinking from a cup is serious business! The sleeping on the floor has also been rough.  Tillman generally takes a 1-1.5 hour nap each day, and on Friday his nap lasted 20 minutes!  He is certainly ready for "Nigh Nigh" when he gets home, but man, he needs his nap to function!  I'm sure he will get in the swing of this new class, but with every change is a little bit of growing pains.  The "growing pains" were evident when I took him into daycare, as soon as he saw his "new teacher" he crinkled his nose and began to pout! I'm sure he was thinking...."boot camp again?"

Tillman watching the water at the Battery

More to come this week, when he goes for his 18 month check up!